Hog-shackle.



J. R. MORSE.

I HOG SHACKLE.

APPLICATION FILED mac. 22. 1914.

Patl lted Dec. 28, 1915. v

five/1X07: 6 EJ770206.

COLUMBIA PLANDIJRAPH C(LAVASHINGTON n. c.

llTTU JOHN a. Morten, or Los ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

Hoe-sHAckLn'.

Specification of Letters lfateiit.

Patented nee. 2e, i915;

Application filed December 22, 1914. Serial No. 878 ,5194.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN R. MORSE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles, State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Hog-Shackles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a shackle.

It is the object of this invention to provide a shackle which is particularly adapted for use in grappling the hind leg of a hog, and by means of which the hog may be swung and suspended by the hind legs.-

Another object is to provide a shackle which is so constructed as to firmly grip the legs without injuring the leg in any manner.

Another object is to provide a hog shackle which can be quickly applied and released;

Another object is to provide a shackle having .a trigger controlled jaw adapted to be automatically tripped on contact with the hogs leg to close the jaw thereon, and in which the jaw can be reopened to release the hog and disposed in its trigger-locked position by a single operation.

Another object is to provide a hog shackle having a spring pressed jaw adapted to be trigger-locked in an open position, and in which the shackle may be engaged with the hogs leg by pushing the shackle against the" leg, and in which the shackle jaw can be released to disengage the hogs leg and restore the jaw to its trigger-locked position by a pulling operation.

A further, object is to provide a shackle of the above character in which the leg engaging jaws are adapted to be closed into clamping engagement with the hogs leg and locked against opening, and in which the jaws of the shackle are so mounted as to be automatically adjusted to the legs of hogs of various sizes to clamp same in such manner as not to injure or crush the legs at the point of engagement of the shackle therewith, and at the same time hold them securely so as to prevent the struggling of the hog, which frequently results in the rupture of blood vessels in the use of ordinary shackles.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the application of the invention. Fig. 2 is a view out the shackle in side elevation, with the face-plateremoved, showing the shackle in its open, trigger-locked position.

F 3 is a similar view showing the shackle n its closed position, with the leg engaging aw locked against opening. detail view illustrating the manner of releasing the jaw, and showing the operation by which the jaw is restored to its trigger locked, open position. Fig. is a detail in perspective of the jaw-releasing and retracting cam. 6 is an enlarged detail section in elevation, on the line 66 of Fig. 2, as seen in the direction indicated by the arrows, illustrating the operating trigger for effecting the automatic closing of the shackle j aws.

More specifically, 10 indicates the shank of the shackle, connected at its upper end to a supporting chain 11, or other flexible means of support. The shank 10 is formed with a head portion 12, terminating in an arcuate rigid jaw 13, formed with semicircular serrations 14 on its inner face;

The shank 10 is formed with a l0ngitudinally extending channel 15, which comm-uni cates with a cavity 16, formed in the head 14:, the channel 15 and cavity 16 being provided for the reception of various operating elements of the shackle. A face plate 17 is attached to the shank 10 and head 12 to inclose the channel 15 and cavity 16.

The lower wall of the head 12 is formed with a slot 17, which communicates with the cavity 16, and pivotally mounted in the cavity 16 on a pivot pin 18, is a disk 19,

having. an arcuate jaw member 20 formed thereon, which extends through the slot 17 and is adapted to cooperate with the jaw 13; the jaw member 13 being formed with an open ended slot 21 on its outer end to receive the end of the jaw 20, as particularly shown in Fig. 3.

Pivoted at 22, on the disk 19, is a curved arm 23, having a socket 24 formed thereon to receive a ball 25 on the end of a reciprocal stem 26, extending longitudinally of the K channel 15. A spiral spring 27 is wound around the stem 26, with one end bearing against the outer end of the arm 25 and its opposite end bearing against a shoulder 28, formed in the channel 15. The spring 27 exerts a thrust on the outer end of the arm 23 and acts through the arm 23 and the disk 19, to normally maintain the jaw 20 in its closed position, as shown in Fig. '3.

Trigger controlled means are provided for. holdingthe' jaw 20 in its open position Fig. 4 1s a in opposition to the spring. 2-7. This means I consists of a dog 29, pivoted on a pin 30, in a depression 31 formed in the bottom wall of the cavity 16'; the dog 29 being normally held in engagement with a radial shoulder 32, formed on the under side of the disk 19. The dog 29 is normally held ranged longitudinally of the slot 17, adjacent the rear face of the disk 19, with the outer arched face of the trigger extending between the jaws 13 and 20 at their base and projecting a short distance in advance 7 of the lower edge of the disk 19.

One end of the arcuate trigger 38 extends through the slot 17, into the cavity 16, and is pivoted on a pin 39. The shoulder 32 on the trigger 29 is arranged in such position that when engaged by the dog 29, the jaw 20 will be disposed in its open position, as shown in Fig. 2, and retained in that position in opposition to the spring 27. The trigger 29 will then be disposed as shown in Fig. 6,,with the arm 35 in engagement therewith and the trigger 38 positioned'adjacent the shoulder 37; the outward movement of the trigger 38 being limited by one end of the slot 17 engaging the in wardly extending portion of the trigger. When the parts are thus positioned the inward or depression movement of the shoulder 28 will operate to rock the arm 35 by engaging the shoulder 37 of the latter, and the arm 35 will in turn depress the dog 29 in opposition to the spring 33 and thereby disengage the dog 29 from the shoulder 32.

i WVhen this occurs the spring 27 will operate'through the arm 23, to rock the disk 19 and impel thejaw 20 to its closed or leg engaging position.

' As a means for preventing opening of the jaw 20, the disk 19 is formed with a series of ratehet'teeth 40, on the edge thereof,

'- which ratchet teeth are adapted'to be engaged by ratchet pawl 41, pivoted at 42 in the cavity 16 and normally held in engagement with the ratchet teeth 40 by means of a spring 43. The ratchet teeth 40 are so formed as to permit closing of the jaw member 20 while the pawl ll is in engagement with the ratchet teeth,and to prevent opening of the jaw member when in its closed position, with the'pawl engaging the ratchet teeth. 'A. sufficient number of ratchet teeth 40 are provided to permitthe jaw member being locked against opening in various positions, thereby adapting the latter to conform to hog legs of various diameters.

Means are provided for disengaging the pawl 4-1 to release the jaw member 20, and at the same time retract the latter to its open trigger-locked position. This means consists of a bell-crank lever 11, pivoted at .45, having one arm engaging a projection 16, on the outer end of the pawl 1-1, and having its opposite end pivotally connecting with a link-17, the opposite end of which is provided with a pin 18, extending into a cam slot 1-9, formed in a lever 50, pivoted at 51 on the shank 10. The lever 50 is positioned in the slot 52, formed on one side of the shank 10 and communicating with the channel 15; the lever 50 normally extending parallel with the shank 10 and closing the slot 52, and retained in this position by means of a spring catch mounted on the upper end of the shank 10 and formed with a tapered projection 54:, adapted to engage a corresponding groove formed in the upper end of the lever 50. The lever 50 is provided with a hand-hole 55, by means of which it may be readily grasped and rocked on its pivot 51. The cam-slot e) is formed with an arcuate portion concentric with the pivot pin 51, which terminates in a reversed curved portion, in which the pin 48 is normally disposed; a curved shoulder 56 being formed by the juncture of the reversed curved portion of the concentric arcuate portion of the cam slot 19. The wall of the reversed curved portion of the cam slot 19 projects into the slot 52, and is formed with a rounded outer face 57 and is adapted to engage the lower end of a depending arm 58. pivoted at 59 on a second arm 60, pivoted at 61 in the slot 52. The outer end of the arm 60 extends into a slot 62, formed in the stem 26, and is adapted to engage a roller 63, mounted in the slot 62 above the arm 60.

In the operation of the invention, to open the jaw 20, the lever 50 is rocked from the position shown in Fig. 3 to the position shown in Fig. 4, which causes the shoulder 56 to engage the pin 48 on the link 47, and thereby moves the latter longitudinally in such manner as to rock the arm -1 and thereby retract the pawl 41 in opposition to the spring 43, out of engagement with the ratchet teeth 40, on the disk 19. Continued movement of the arm 50 will dispose the pin 48 in the slot 49 to maintain the pawl 41 in its disengaged position, and this continued movement will dispose the outer end of the projection 57 in engagement with the lower end of the arm 58, and will operate to shift the latter longitudinally to rock the arm 60 upwardly and thereby retract the stem 26 in opposition to the spring 27, which will result in the opening of the jaw 20, as before described. Vhen the jaw is in its open position it will be engaged by the dog 29,

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whereupon the lever 50 will be restoredto its normal position, thereby releasing-the pawl 4:1 to dispose it in position to engage the ratchet teeth 40 on the disk 19. The parts will then be positioned as shown in Fig. 2. When it is desired to grip the leg ofan animal, the operator grasps the shank 10 and thrusts the shackle against the leg with the jaws 13 and 20 extending on the opposite side thereof; the shackle being thrust with sufiicient force to cause the trigger 38 to impact against the leg and thereby rock the trigger in such manner as to efiect the rocking of the'arin 35, and thus retract the dog 29 out of engagement with the disk'19. The spring 27 will then operate to yieldably close the jaw 20 tightly against the leg; the pressure of the jaw 20 against the leg being in proportion to the strength of the spring which is not suilicient to cause injury. The jaw 20 will then be locked against opening by the engagement of theratchet pawl all with the ratchet teeth 40 on the disk 19. The hog may then be swung into suspended position, as shown in Fig. 1..

It is desirable to employ a pair of the shackles so as to engage both hind legs of the animal to prevent kicking and resultant injury to the animal.

To release the animal from the shackle the lever 50 is rocked outwardly into the position shown in Fig. 4, thereby retracting the pawl 41 out of engagement with the ratchet teeth so. The weight of the animal on the jaw 20 will then operate to open the latter, thus disengaging the shackle and releasing the animal. A continued outward movement of the lever 50 will then operate to completely open the jaw 20 andcause it to be reengaged by the dog 29.

By the use of this invention a quick and sure catch of the animal may be effected, and by reason of the spring pressed clamping action of the jaw 20, injury or crushing of the animals leg will be prevented. Fur thermore the closing of the jaws into engagement with the leg will be efiected automatically when the jaws are positioned to encompass the leg thus not requiring any manually controlled jaw releasing mechanism which is objectionable by reason of the difiiculty 01"? closing the jaws at the proper time.

What I claim is: j

1. In a hog shackle, the combination of. a shank, a fixed jaw thereon, a pivoted jaw arranged to cooperate with the fixed jaw, yieldable means for normally maintaining the pivoted jaw in its closed position, means for latching the pivoted jaw in its open position, and trigger arranged between the jaws adapted to be actuated by contact with the leg of the hog to release the jaw latching means.

2. In a hog shackle, the combination of a shank, a fixed aw thereon, a pivoted jaw arranged to coiiperate with the fixed jaw, yieldable means for normally maintaining the pivoted jaw in its closed position, means for latching the pivoted jaw in its open position, a trigger arranged between the jaws adapted to be actuated by contact with the leg of the hog to release the jaw latching means to permit the jaw to move to its closed position, and means for locking the pivoted jaw in its closed position.

3. In a hog shackle, the combination of a shank, a fixed jaw thereon, a movable jaw arranged to coiiperate with the fixed jaw, yieldable means for normally maintaining the movable jaw in its closed position, means for locking the movable jaw in its closed position, a trigger arranged between the jaws adapted to be actuated by contact with the leg of a hog to release the jaw locking means to permit the jaw to move to its closed position, and means for retracting the movable jaw to its latched open position.

4. A. hog shackle, comprising a shank, a rigid jaw formed thereon, a disk pivoted on said shank, a movable jaw carried by said disk, a spring acting on said disk to normally close said movable jaw, a dog arranged to engagesaid disk to hold the movable jaw in its open position, a trigger arranged between said jaws adapted to be rocked by contact with the leg of a hog, and means whereby the rocking of said trigger will disengage the dog from the disk to permit closing of the movable jaw.

5. A hog shackle, comprising a shank, a rigid aw itormed thereon, a disk pivoted on said shank, a movable jaw carried by said disk, a spring acting on said disk to normally close said movable jaw, a dog arranged to engage said disk to hold the movable jaw in its open position, a trigger arranged between said jaws adapted to be rocked by contact with the leg of a hog, means whereby the rocking of said trigger will disengage the dog from said disk to permit closing of the movable jaw, a lever pivoted on the shank, and means whereby the rocking of said lever will restore the movable jaw to its open, dog-engaged position.

6. A hog shackle, comprising a shank, a fixed jaw member thereon, a pivoted jaw member adapt-ed to cotiperate with the fixed jaw member, an arm pivoted on said jaw member, a reciprocal stem connected to said arm, a spring exerting a thrust against the said arm to normally maintain the movable jaw in its closed position, a dog for retaining the movable aw in its open position, a trigger arranged between the jaws adapted to be rocked by contact with the leg of a hog, means whereby the rocking of said trigger will release the dog to permit the spring to rock the movable jaw to its closed position,

a leverpivoted on the shank, and means actuated by said lever operating on said stem, whereby the latter may be retracted to move the movable jaw member .to its open position.

7 .,A hog shackle, comprising a shank, a rigid jaw thereon, a disk pivoted on the jaw having ratchet teeth formed on the edge thereof, a movable jaw member aflixed to said disk to cooperate with the rigid jaw member, an arm pivoted to said disk, a reciprocal stem connected to said arm, a spring acting on said arm to normally maintain the jaw in a closed position, a pawl adapted to engage the ratchet teeth of said disk to lock the movable aw in its closed position, a lever pivoted on said shank, means whereby the rocking of the lever in an outward direetion will operate to disengage the pawl from the disk to permit opening of the jaw member, means operated on said lever for retracting the stem to open the jaw member in opposition to said spring, means engageable with the disk for holding the jaw in its open position, and a trigger arranged between said jaw members, and means whereby the depression of said trigger will operate to move the dog out of engagement with the disk to permit the closing of the movable jaw by the action of the spring thereon. 8. In a hog shackle, the combination of a shank, a rigid jaw thereon, a disk havinga movable jaw, a spring acting on said disk to normally close said jaw member, a dog arranged to engage said disk to maintain the in its open position, a pivoted arm engageable with said dog, and a trigger arranged between the jaw members adapted to engage the pivoted arm on depression of the trigger to throw the pawl out of engagement with the disk.

9. A hog shackle, comprising a shank having a fixed jaw on the outer end thereof, a pivoted jaw arranged adjacent the fixed jaw and cooperating therewith to form a grip, means for normally maintaining the pivoted jaw in its closed position, means for latching the pivoted jaw in its open position, and means mounted between said jaws for operating the latching means to permit the pivoted jaws to assume a closed position, said latch releasing means adapted to be actuated by contact with the leg of a hog.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 12th day of December, 1914.

JOHN R. MORSE.

WVitnesses:

JAMES M. Anen'r'r, MARGUERITE Bii'rns.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

